


Weight Of The Idiot

by shewhoisntnamed44



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: M/M, sick!andrew
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-01
Updated: 2017-06-01
Packaged: 2018-11-07 19:32:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11065641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shewhoisntnamed44/pseuds/shewhoisntnamed44
Summary: Basically Andrew being a shit and not telling anyone he's ill. Consequences include fainting during practice with the Foxes and inciting his boyfriend's rage.





	Weight Of The Idiot

Andrew collapsed. In the middle of practise. Neil saw this all happen as if in slow motion, one minute he was aiming the ball at the goal and the next Andrew was swaying as he ultimately fell. Neil's heart stopped. All barriers, all pretences of not caring and _nothing_ came to a screeching halt when he saw Andrew's slow descent to the ground.  
Andrew had been distant since this morning, he hadn't kissed Neil once since they had both woken up, but Neil had just attributed that to him having a bad day. Bad days when his mind was filled with memories he couldn't stop. Bad days when even a brush of a finger was enough to bring violence in those hazel eyes. So Neil left it and gave Andrew space as Andrew had often done for Neil.  
Neil couldn't breathe. Watching his rock, his _promise_ collapse without warning was enough to scrape his heart raw. He couldn't move, but was just staring at Andrew's unmoving body. Seconds or hours passed and then Matt's voice, "Neil!"  
And Neil dropped his extremely expensive racket to the ground and jogged towards the goal. The rest of the Foxes had already gathered at a safe distance from Andrew, even now knowing not to touch him without permission. Neil was unbelievably grateful for that.  
Andrew's chest was moving up and down, he was alive. Relief so intense coursed through Neil's body he felt light headed.

He knelt down beside Andrew, and hurriedly removed his gloves. He unlocked Andrew's head gear and removed his goalkeeper gloves.  
"Andrew?", Neil asked softly, not wanting the Foxes to hear the edge in his voice.  
But Andrew did, even in his almost unconsious state he did.  
"I'm fine.", he said slowly opening his eyes.  
"Can I touch your head?"  
Andrew nodded with the little pint of strength he had.  
Burning. His forehead under Neil's hand was as hot as the dashboard lighter had felt in Neil's cheek.  
" _Andrew Minyard you fucking asshole._ ", Neil said as he swore viciously.  
"Is he dying?", Nicky asked, concern lacing his voice.  
"He's burning up. Maybe a 103 or a 104 degree Farheniet. We need to get him somewhere cold.", Neil replied.  
"I'm still here.", Andrew said, his voice strained.  
"Shut the fuck up.", Neil replied.  
"But practice?", Kevin obviously asked.  
"Kevin for once in your goddamned life keep your fucking mouth shut or else Neil will bury you alive.", Matt told him.  
Neil had never looked at one of them like that. He had never let Nathaniel Wesninski's rage show. Kevin wisely kept his mouth shut when he saw the look Neil gave him. Neil didn't open his mouth, he knew that if he did, something terrible would come out.  
Thankfully, Renee intervened.  
She carefully knelt down on Andrew's other side and forced Neil's furious gaze away from Kevin.  
"Let's get him inside.", she told Neil.  
"Andrew, Neil and I are going to help you up, okay?", she told Andrew.  
Andrew was feeling too sick to reply.  
Renee looked at Neil when he didn't. Neil hated to do this without consent, but he slid his hands under Andrew's shoulders, the grass brushing his bare hands. He hoisted Andrew up with Renee's help.  
"Someone go and get a fucking tub or something with ice.", Neil said. "And go tell Wymack and Abby."  
He saw Dan, Nicky, Matt, Allison and Kevin run up ahead, immediately doing what he asked for, leaving Aaron alone with Renee and Neil.  
Aaron didn't say anything, but the crease between his eyebrows betrayed his worry.  
Neil and Renee slowly, so slowly carried Andrew's heavy, unco-operating body off the court.

"Go stick him in the shower, we've got cold water running. Nicky, Allison and Matt have gone to find Abby. Kevin's getting Wymack.", Dan told him when they reached the inner court.  
Neil huffed out a thanks and led the way to the locker room. A shower was on and he and Renee eased Andrew's body onto the floor beneath it, his back to the wall.  
Renee took a few steps back after this but Neil gently took hold of Andrew's head and held it under the freezing water, slowly moving his hands through Andrew's hair, the water seeping down the back of Andrew's neck. His body was still too feverish.  
"I'm fine.", Andrew said yet again. Neil finally understood why everyone else found these words so infuriating when he said them.  
Neil didn't reply.  
"I leave you all alone for a minute and this happens.", Wymack said from a corner of the room. Neil had been too distracted to notice Kevin and him were already in the locker room when they arrived. All of the Foxes were.  
Wymack shoved Neil aside and knelt in front of Andrew.  
"Andrew, do you want to go to the hospital?"  
" _No_."  
"Okay. Neil get him out of his gear. It's too thick and is increasing his body temperature. Get him in a jersey and shorts and take him to Abby.", he got up, "Everyone else, out. Now."  
They all left without a word, leaving Neil and Andrew alone in the locker room's shower stall.

Neil switched off the running water after Andrew had cooled down a bit.  
"Get up.", Neil said and helped Andrew up. He was barely aware of his own sopping clothes. Andrew's hands were shaking. He sat Andrew down on one of the benches and picked up the closest jersey and shorts. It didn't matter who's they were.  
Andrew was trying to remove the paddings in his things and chest, but his hands were shaking too much. Neil batted his hands away and did it for him. He removed Andrew's shirt and leg gear and wiped Andrew with a drytowel. Andrew refused to remove his armbands but Neil had expected that. He removed his own. Andrew's eyes flickered towards his when he dropped them on the bench. Andrew discarded his wet ones and quickly put on Neil's. Neil had successfully managed to get Andrew into dry clothes.  
"Neil.", Andrew said.  
"We have to go to Abby, come on."  
"Neil.", Andrew said again. Neil refused to meet his eyes.  
"You could've told me."  
"I know.", Andrew replied calmly, which increased the fire in Neil's gut. He was tired of not knowing things. Neil was breathing hard now. His anger threatened to erupt but this wasn't the time.  
"You're burning up. Let's go."  
"No", that stubborn bastard replied tiredly from the bench.  
"Look at me when I talk to you.", Andrew said and raised his arm. Even half deranged, he had seen the ungodly amount of panic, of fear that had slipped into Neil's eyes on the court.  
Andrew threaded his fingers into Neil's curls and pulled his face towards himself, so that it was level with his own. Those shocking blue eyes were wild. A flurry of emotions, too complex to discern passing through them.  
"I said I'm fine."  
"Liar. You can barely hold my head right now. It's draining you. I'm not fucking stupid Andrew."  
Andrew's blank face was completely opposite to that of Neil's.  
Andrew dropped his hand to his side. Neil straightened.  
"Let's go.", he said for the third damn time. This time, Andrew didn't argue.

"Leave this ice pack on your head. Do not remove it till it doesn't melt and when it does, put a new one on. You're staying here tonight, you have any problem, even a hiccup, ring me immediately. A 104 degree fever is no joke Andrew Minyard. Don't move. Doctor's orders.", Abby said and turned around to leave. 

"I would never disobey you Abby. Not to forget this murder magnet here won't let me.", Andrew said, sounding oddly disappointed.   
"I'll be back in a few hours to check up on you kid. Take care.", she smiled and left them both alone.  
Andrew was lying on the bed in the room and Neil was sitting on one of the armchairs. He had changed into dry clothes while Andrew got checked. The rest of the Foxes, as per Kevin's insistence had continued practice. Neil for the first time in his life, had decided not to join them.  
"Come here.", Andrew said.  
Abby had given him a few tablets to give him energy and regulate his body temperature but he still was too worn out to move. This was perhaps the first time Neil had seen Andrew without any strength.  
Neil obediently got up and stood next to the bed. Andrew had a giant ice pack on his head and a blanket covering his body. He was surprised Andrew had been so compliant.  
"Enough with the anger."  
"I'm not angry.", Neil lied.  
Andrew stared at him, unblinking.  
"Talk."  
A beat of silence.  
"You should've told me you fucking moron. You don't feel sick in a minute. It takes time. You should've fucking told me. It's not that hard, just a few words maybe. Or just a "Hey Neil my body temperature is getting abnormally high" or maybe even an "I'm sick" would fucking suffice. But that doesn't work for you, does it? You have to pass out before anyone can help you.", Neil was fuming.  
He didn't care that he was over reacting. Seeing Andrew, probably the strongest person he knew, abruptly collapse had reminded him of his own mother. Both of them thought they were too strong and invincible to handle shit on their own. At least he had an inkling that something was wrong with his mother. If what happened to his mom happened to Andrew, he would lose himself. 

Andrew understood all this. He knew just by looking at Neil's ragged face, the sheer force of will he was using to keep himself, his temper in check.  
"I'm not your mother junkie, I'm not going to die.", came Andrew's bored reply.  
To anyone else, this would have sounded rude. To Neil it said, _I know what you're thinking. Calm down. I'm still here._  
It was enough.  
"Don't you ever do that again. I know you don't give a flying fuck about your own well being, unfortunately, I do. Tell me next time. It's not that hard."  
Andrew fought the urge to roll his eyes. Drama queen, he almost said.  
"Remove this fucking ice pack from my head."  
Neil knew better than to argue. As soon as he removed the pack and set it aside, Andrew's hand snagged his collar and pulled his face down. He stopped Neil's face a hairs breath from his own, Neil's hands planted on either side of him.   
"Yes or no?"  
"Yes."  
"Even with all the germs?"  
He and Andrew were close enough Neil could see the tiny freckles beside Andrew's eyes. They were beautiful.  
"Even with all the germs.", he confirmed and finally closed the distance between them.

**Author's Note:**

> This was longer than I thought it would be. Thanks for reading :)


End file.
